In approximately October of 1989, several recliner chair manufacturers began to offer so-called pad-over-chaise reclining chairs, in which a soft, upholstered pad integrally extended from the primary ottoman (sometimes also referred to as a primary or main leg rest) to the front of the seat cushion. Within a short period of time, these chairs have become very popular. Users report that the continuous support which they provide a user's legs from the seat to the ottoman substantially increases the user's comfort.
In most currently available designs, the pad remains visible when the ottoman is retracted. From a manufacturer's viewpoint, this fact represents a serious styling limitation, as does the fact that each pad-over-chaise recliner must have a similar pad over the seat and ottoman.
Others have attempted to overcome these limitations, by providing altered mounting for a conventional mid-ottoman (sometimes also referred to as a secondary ottoman) so that it moves up higher when the ottoman is extended, e.g., up to a level that is generally coplanar with the seat, so that it provides some support for the rear of the user's leg, between the front of the seat and the rear of the primary ottoman. Such an elevated secondary ottoman may not completely fill the gap between the seat and the primary ottoman, and it does not extend over the side linkages of the chair operating mechanism when the chair is in its TV position (ottoman fully extended, but chair back remaining fully, or nearly fully erect). One manufacturer of such chairs has attempted to hide some of the otherwise exposed side linkages, by providing plastic shields at the sides of the mid-ottoman. In this prior art chair, the mid-ottoman is an upholstered board.